Controllers are used on a wide variety of devices and systems for controlling various functions in homes and/or buildings and their related grounds. Some controllers have schedule programming that modifies device parameters such as set points as a function of date and/or time. Some such device or system controllers that utilize schedule programming for controlling various functions in homes and/or buildings and their related grounds include, for example, HVAC controllers such as thermostats, water heater controllers, water softener controllers, security system controllers, lawn sprinkler controllers, and lighting system controllers.
In a typical HVAC system, for example, such controllers can be employed to monitor and, if necessary, control various environmental conditions occurring within a structure. The controller may include a microprocessor and/or microcontroller that interacts with other components in the system via an I/O interface to regulate the temperature, humidity, venting, and air quality occurring at one or more locations within the structure. An internal sensor located within the controller and/or one or more remote sensors may be employed to sense when the temperature and/or humidity level reaches a certain threshold level, causing the controller to send a signal to activate or deactivate one or more components in the HVAC system.
In some instances, the controller may be configured to detect when a service event has occurred in one or more of the system components. In certain circumstances, for example, the controller may be configured to detect when one or more system components have malfunctioned or have gone offline, or have been in service beyond a recommended period of time and thus require maintenance. Depending on the type of service event detected, the controller can be configured to shut down one or more of the components until the system can be restored.
In some cases, the component triggering the service event may require servicing from the manufacturer or other authorized service technician in order to restore the system to normal operation. To notify the user where to obtain service, many manufacturers will place a sticker containing servicing information in an inconspicuous place such as on the inside door panel of the controller housing. After a service event has occurred, the user must know to open the controller door in order to obtain the servicing information. Accordingly, there is a need in the art to better provide the user with servicing information when a fault or other service event has been detected.
Many HVAC controllers, such as thermostats, have a user interface that includes a fixed segment display. In fixed segment displays controllers, all of display segments are typically predefined and manufactured into the display. During use, and to display one or more settings or parameters of the thermostat, the controller simply turns on appropriate segments on the display. While the use of fixed segment displays has worked satisfactorily for many applications, they can be somewhat limiting. For example, only those parameters and settings that were predefined and manufactured into the display can be typically be displayed, and updates or changes often cannot be made in the field. In addition, and because of the fixed nature of the segments on the fixed segment display, a location or region on the display is typically dedicated to displaying certain information. In some cases, this leads to the layout of the display items not to be optimal from an ease of use and/or ease of understanding point of view. Moreover, fixed segment displays can be somewhat limited in the types of content that can be displayed on the display. For example, graphical images, menus as well as other types of content often cannot be displayed.
Some of the limitations of fixed segment displays have been overcome with the use of graphical displays such as dot matrix displays. For example, some HVAC controllers have incorporated dot matrix displays in order to display a wider variety of menus with better placement of information and selections on the display, which can help make the operation of the controller more intuitive to the user. However, to date, many of these controllers are limited in the type of content that can be displayed on the display, and typically do not provide a mechanism for updating and/or uploading new information for use by the controller and/or for viewing on the display.